The Untold Story of Naruto and Minato
by Alterant
Summary: All that Naruto wanted was ramen after his last long mission. But instead, he ended up finding his father, unconscious, laying on a backstreet of Konoha. How will he handle actually knowing his father? And also a love confession from his sensei he hadn't seen coming? Time-travel AU. Kakanaru with Minatos support.
1. The Girl

Chapter 1.

A/N: I'm not sure where I will be taking the relationship between Minato and Naruto yet. The story will evolve as I write the next few chapters. Reviews are very much appreciated. Enjoy the story so far.

* * *

The night was cold. Minato had to hold back a shiver as he surveyed his surroundings from where he was perched on the limb of a giant oak. Breathing deeply in the scent of the damp forest and the cool night air, he took a short moment to enjoy the peaceful night before he had to move on. He looked to the sky, and shortly took note of the layer of clouds working their way towards him. Guess it was, at the moment, the calm before the storm. Hopefully he'd be one his way back to Konoha before the storm itself broke, and get to see Kushina's smiling face soon.

He had been sent on a small mission to uncover the true identity of a person who has been recently tormenting a small village close to the border of the Fire and Wind country. The villagers had came to the ninjas of the leaf when they had had learned of a suspicious man who had taken up residence close to where their village was. Along with his appearance, though, also came the various thefts of the villagers meager supply of food and valuables in the middle of the night. When they had went to investigate, they had discovered the bandit living by himself about a mile from the village itself, who, when they had tried to confront him, had ran them off with some sort of Ninjutsu, killing two of their villagers in the process. This meaning the man was a dangerous ninja, the leader had decided it was not something they could handle on their own, and wanting the man gone, had contacted Konoha. So Minato, being one of the last unoccupied ninja at the time, and the village needing the money at the moment, had been sent alone on this B-rank mission, which he was almost positive would take him a very short amount of time to accomplish.

Deciding to get a move on, he quickly stretched, and went on to run the last mile that would take him into the village. With his speed, he was only about a day's travel from Konoha, and he hoped nothing to serious happened that would delay his journey back.

As he came closer to where the coordinates said the village was located, Minato suddenly noticed a marker jutting from the side of the path, the villages' name scrawled on it. He'd never heard of it before taking this mission, so he wondered what kind of people lived here. Walking a little further in that direction, he rounded a bend the last bend that would take him within sight of the tiny village.

He wondered faintly who the ninja was that would torment such an out of the way dwelling. Because he'd never heard of it he assumed there was not a powerful hidden jutsu or anything similar, and that was usually what ninja of that type were after. Some powerful technique that would make them formidable foes.

His first glance at the village had him pausing for a moment. The villagers must have been very desperate to see this man leave, as it didn't even look like they could afford housing or food for their people, let alone the fee for hiring a ninja. He looked around the unkempt town, noticing the few small buildings scattered about. They looked as if they had seen much better days, as there were various noticeable repairs along the outsides. There was one main path running through the middle of the town, leading to the center, where he could see a few people were gathered. The buildings ran along the sides of that road.

Slowly, he continued walking, hoping not to alarm any of the villagers, as he was a stranger in their midst. He wondered if someone here would come to greet him so they could give him the details he needed, or if he'd have to ask himself. The only people he saw, though, as he looked around, were the ones peeking at him suspiciously from slightly opened doors.

Walking towards the center of the town, he noticed a younger girl peering out the door of one of the more damaged buildings. Slowly walking toward her, he stopped a few feet from her house, putting his hands up in a gesture of peace when she looked ready to bolt back into her home. Speaking gently to her, he pointed at his headband, and asked, "This is the town that has requested help from the ninja of the leaf?"

He watched as a tiny spark of hope glittered in her fearful eyes, and she bolted out the door, giving him a wide berth as she passed.

The girl scampered off towards another building towards the center of town. He watched as she entered, and, moments later, returned with two men accompanying her. He was surprised when, at the appearance of these two men, others also slowly began trickling out of their homes, coming to listen and see what was happening when they heard the news that the ninja had arrived.

He vaguely thought of how fast news travels in such a little town.

As the men walked towards him, Minato took his time in studying them, as they were clearly very important to the villagers. Both men seemed close to the same age, and were similar in face and color, which made him wonder if they had any relation to one another. They both had a thick head of dark auburn hair, tanned skin, and green eyes, but the one on the right was slightly taller, and chose to wear a goatee, while the one on the left was shorter and clean-shaven.

"You are the Ninja from the Leaf?" The taller one said, speaking with a voice that was strong, despite his disheveled appearance. He had seen the man's headband, but wanted to make sure of it.

"Yes, sir. I am Minato, and I'm here to take care of a man that has been tormenting you and your people." Minato bowed slightly, waiting patiently, as he knew these two men would elaborate on their situation in a moment.

The tall one took his time to look over the man before answering. The blond haired ninja seemed, well, familiar, but he couldn't think of how. It'd come to him eventually. Until it did, he began introducing himself and his brother. "We are the Fumaki brothers. I am Juto, the leader of this village. This is my right-hand man, Kota." He pointed to the man beside him. "As I'm sure you learned from the details we sent to your village, we have somewhat of a problem with a certain man who has decided that our village is his own personal picking ground. We have no idea of why he just showed up, but he is strong, and has caused our village a lot of grief." Juto turned slightly to look at the few villagers who'd come up behind him, his eyes filling with sadness as he took in their poor state. There had been a severe drought last summer, and with no crops to sell, the village and its people had suffered more than he could have imagined. He had told himself he'd do anything to protect these people and make their lives easy and happy. He was doing a shit job of it, though.

Minato, sensing the mans thoughts drifting in another direction, slightly cleared his throat. "I know that you've gone through some hard times recently, and sympathize with you and your people. I wish I could do more, but as of right now I can only rid you of the menace making your lives even worse. So please, let me relieve at least some of your burden in seeing this man gone."

"Of course, of course." Juto shook himself, pushing the depressing thoughts aside and focusing on the problem at hand. Thinking of the thief distracted him plenty, as whenever he thought of him he became angry. The guy had made a bad situation worse, and anything that caused his villagers harm or suffering he would gladly get rid of himself. This time, though, with the man being trained in Ninjutsu and having killed two of his men already, he'd need Minato to aid him. "I'll take you to him now. It's about a ten minute trip, so we'll get their very shortly."

With that, Juto began walking towards the entrance to the village, and as Minato began to follow, he glanced back towards the villagers, almost as if something controlled his actions. Drawing his gaze across the dispersing crowd of people, most had their eyes pointed downward, and were beginning to travel the short distance back to their respective houses. One though, the young girl he had spoken to earlier, was looking straight at him with a determined expression on her face. Once she saw that he had seen her, though, she quickly looked away and disappeared into a small crowd making their way back home.

He suddenly had a bad feeling resonate in the pit of his stomach, putting him even more on his

guard as he left the village and began his short journey to the house of the thief. He had learned to trust his instincts long ago, as many times they'd saved him from a hell of a bad situation in the past.

He walked in silence beside Juto until they reached a small stream about a mile from the village itself. Juto stopped, turning to look at Minato with a determined expression on his face.

"Okay. If we walk downstream, his small cabin will come into view in about five minutes. I can't tell you what he'll be doing, but I think we'll be able to get his attention from there. I don't know who he is or what he has been trained in, but I'll be accompanying you, as it's my village this man has been tormenting." Futos eyes glared at Minato, daring him to oppose.

Minato reluctantly agreed, and though he didn't like the idea of the village leader coming with him, he understood the need he felt to protect his people.

"Alright, Futo, if you must. Just stay behind me and watch yourself. I don't know yet what he is capable of, and until I find out, I will keep you safe." Minato watched the man as he said it, knowing Futos pride was about to say he was a man who didn't need protecting, but he cut the man off when he heard a sudden noise in the distance. Futo shut his mouth, and Minato listened silently, on high alert for any danger that could be coming their way.

After a couple minutes, Futo moved closer and whispered quietly in Minatos direction, "It must have been an animal or something, I don't think -"

His voice was cut short as a shrill scream of a little girl pierced through the once quiet forest, in the direction of the thieves house.

Both men raced towards the sound, Minato on alert for any sign of a trap, and Futo dreading what they were about to come upon. He was pretty sure of who that voice belonged to, and he would not let another one of his villagers get harmed, even if it was at the cost of his own life.

Minato reached the small house before Futo, taking in the scene before him. A badly scarred man with dark glasses and black hair was holding a girl up by her neck, smirking at the terrified look in her eyes and shaking her as she clawed at the big hands around her throat.

Speaking gently to the girl, Minato had to strain the hear the words the man was saying.

"-believe I've finally found you. All these years of research and traveling, I never had thought to have found you in such a place, how did you ever-"

It was then the man suddenly noticed the company he had, violently jerking his head towards Minato, eyes widening as recognition clouded his eyes.

He whispered in disbelief, "The Yellow Flash of the Leaf?"

Minato took in the expression on the man's horrid face. He got his first good glimpse of the girl he was holding when he put her down to stare at Minato, but still kept his hand on her neck.

It was the girl from the town that had helped him. The one who had looked to him with determination in her eyes. How had she gotten here before them?

Just as Minato was about to speak, Juto came crashing up behind him, looking to where the man and girl were standing. Jutos face went sheet white, and Minato heard him yell, "Kanae!"

Minato had to hold Juto back as he tried to run to the girl, an act that could possibly get both him and her killed. He had to be cautious, as the man who was holding her was now looking at Minato with dark eyes, and he sensed a fair amount of chakra radiating from him. Oh yeah, he'd been trained as a ninja before, but the question was whether or not he would kill them without a second thought or if his goal was something else. He bet on the latter, as the words Minato had heard him speak told him there was a lot more to this situation than met the eye.

Minato needed to think, and the man squirming in his arms did not help him concentrate.

"Futo, Futo!" Minato yelled at the man until he had calmed down enough to listen. "Stop. You have to keep a calm head, or you could put Kanae in more danger than she is now."

Futo glanced at Minato, and seeing the man thinking deeply, began to regain his senses. "You're right, I'm sorry." He took a deep breath, but it did nothing to calm the anger that had enveloped him when he'd seen the filthy man's hands on his adopted sister. Rage coursed through him just thinking of it again.

Minato watched, and, when he was sure Futo wouldn't bolt, let go and left him while he thought. The ninja thief had been watching his little struggle with unblinking eyes, his gaze never leaving Minato. The man knew who he was, so for him to not show an ounce of fear in his eyes had him wondering whether or not the ninja underestimated him, or thought himself more powerful.

They'd see about that.

"As you already seem to know who I am, may I ask what your name is?" Staring into the ninjas black eyes, Minato waited as the man seemed to think before speaking.

"My name?" His voice came out soft and deep, a direct contrast to the rough, grizzly appearance that had taken Minato aback. "You are right. How uncouth of me. I am Zanake, and that is all you need to know. I must say, though, I never expected to see the Yellow Flash in a place like this. Usually one like me only hears about you in tales."

Minato was about to reply, when he noticed the girl suddenly regain her senses, and again she clawed at the man holding her captive. It was no use, though, as he threw her to the ground with one flick of his hand.

"Usually I'd just kill an insolent brat like you. Now stay there. We wouldn't want you friends to die, now would we?" She went still, her eyes filling with fear for her brother, and glared with hatred at the ugly man. She was panting for air and holding her neck from the grip he'd had on her, unable to speak.

"Leave the girl be, Zanake." Minato said quietly, ready to spring into action should he make any attempt to harm Kanae any further.

"Oh, don't talk about her like you know her. If you knew what she was, you'd be halfway back to your ninja village right now." He paused to chuckle to himself, delighting in the yellow flashes ignorance. His eyes, hidden behind those dark glasses, missed nothing, though, as the girl seemed to gather her strength and procur a little knife from her torn trousers and attempt to strike him.

Kanae's teeth ground together as she used the last of her energy in her attempt to keep her village and her brother safe. They had been there for her when she had been lost. They had protected her. Saved her from sure death. Had been like the family that she didn't remember having. And as soon as she had known they had been about to confront the man who had tormented them so, she'd just grabbed her precious knife and bolted, blood on her mind, taking the shortcuts she'd memorized through years now of exploring the trails.

As Kanae flew towards him like a devil who knew only one purpose, he drew from a hidden pouch a much longer blade, and without hesitation swung his arm and aimed it at her heart.

Before Minato could even draw a kunai from his belt, Futo reacted with a speed even the flash could admire. The man closed the gap between them and his beloved adopted sister in a second, throwing himself between the two and taking the knife meant for Kanae in his back. Grabbing her shoulders, he sunk to his knees and Minato barely made out the words Futo mumbled to Kanae, before Zanake ripped his knife from the man's back and backed away, looked puzzled at the situation before them.

"But she's the monster." Minato heard from Zanake, his voice as still as the forest around them.

Kanae then chose to let forth an anguished scream, hands clawing at her hair as she watched another person she loved be ripped away from her.

Minato watched as the girl was torn apart, and he felt a sudden shift in the air that had his insides clenching. Something was happening.

Seeming as though an invisible force gathered around the girl, it only lasted for a single breath before a sudden blue light engulfed the entire clearing, her at the center. Minato heard himself gasp in horror as he was blinded, and his last thought was one of love for his wife before darkness swept in and he could feel no more.

* * *

The night was cold. Naruto shivered, pulling at the hood of his cloak to try and shield his face from the worst of the freezing rain pouring in what seemed like a never-ending torrent down on Konoha. The clouds covering the moon made it so the night was dark as the blackest sin, the only illumination being the occasional strike of jagged lightning, and so he was having trouble seeing where his next step was going to land.

Maybe going out for some late night ramen hadn't been such a good idea, after all.

He had, after much careful deliberating (yeah, right, maybe two seconds), decided that it was worth it to brave the upcoming storm to obtain some of his favorite food. He'd run out of everything else, plus he just returned from a mission, so he deserved it. He did. He had planned to make it back to his apartment before the storm broke, but somehow he had misjudged the wind and it had all come crashing down when he was about halfway to the convenience store. He knew the way by heart, so he quickly walked through the back alleyways that acted as a shortcut, taking him along the quickest route. His vision being as impaired as it was, though, had him tripping on a few various objects that were unknowingly blown in his path. As he was nearing the store, however, he tripped over something that had him widening his eyes in shock and hunkering down to get a better look. A man? He thought in alarm, uncovering his hand and finding the man's neck. Alive. Wondering who in the world could be laying in the back of an alley at this time of night with the rain pouring down, he dropped to his knees beside the dark figure and squinted his eyes to see.

He got a quick look as an especially bright bolt of lightning lit the entire area for a second, before everything again went black. Slowly falling backwards into a puddle, his mind went blank just as his heart pounded in his chest. He was sure he had to be going crazy. That face...that hair...the same as the face he stared at every day in the faces of the stone hokage...

He silently whispered in profound disbelief...

"Father?"


	2. The Dream

A/N: All's I want to say is to please review if you have the time if you like anything, see anything or notice anything out of place, or want to recommend any particular thing. Thank you so much for reading. -Alterant

* * *

Minato dreamt of blue light. A dazzling brightness, engulfing him, enveloping him, much like the sensation of swimming deep underwater. The pressure was outstanding, holding him still, yet making him sway, lulling him into the deepest sleep he'd ever fallen into. Time had no meaning, his thoughts drifting meaninglessly through his mind.

After an undeterminable amount of time, his underwater slumber was finally disturbed when an outside being intruded, and a warm hand came towards him and gently rested on his forehead. Instead of shying away from the touch of the unknown being, like he normally would, his senses seemed to pick up no threat, instead feeling at ease with it's touch. The contact only lasted for a few seconds, and at the retreating of the hand Minato felt saddened at the absence of warmth that had accompanied it. Trying to retrieve it, he tested his arm, but was disheartened when all he could accomplish was to barely lift his fingers.

"You have a fever."

The low voice of a man surprised Minato, uttered in so soft a tone that he could barely make out the words. Though it didn't seem as if he was in immediate danger, not being able to move was a downside to his situation. He had no idea where he had ended up, no idea who had found him and how, and no idea what he was going to do. Minato realized briefly he could probably start by opening his eyes and take in his surroundings. It was like he had somehow forgot about being human while he was in his reverie.

He discovered it was even a struggle to lift his eyelids, the dull light from a lamp blinding him as they slowly opened. Blinking multiple times until the pain had somewhat resided, he squinted over to where he saw the man kneeling beside the bed he was in. Those eyes widened in fascination as he took in the reflection of himself before him.

The man was dressed in a glaringly bright orange hoodie, black sweatpants, and was obviously from Konoha as the band wrapped around his forehead declared. Sky blues eyes stared back into his own, framed by a cut of spiky blonde hair just a tad bit shorter than his. It was true his face was a bit rounder, but what threw Minato off completely was the resemblance to his wife, Kushina. The eyes and facial structure… it was as if she were staring at him, making the exact same worried expression that he saw when he came home in rough shape from a mission.

The worried gaze that Minato saw calmed him a bit. So the man apparently meant him no harm, as he wasn't restrained in any way. Though his chakra levels and physical abilities were at an all time low. How the man looked like such a perfect mix of himself and his wife though… is what was throwing him off. He'd never seen this man before in his life, and being sure he knew the faces of every ninja in Konoha, this situation didn't make any sense. He barely remembered his mission… that girl. He remembered the color blue then he went blank.

Naruto was beyond shock and in such a level of disbelief that he was playing along as if it were just another dream where his father was alive. He knew it'd be over when he woke up and reality would just come crashing down upon him like a load of enemy nin. He'd count it as another bad night's sleep. In all actuality though, usually his subconscious would have reminded him by now that he was fatherless in some way, changing the longing and happiness into a fervent nightmare in the matter of seconds. Never before had it all been this real and lasted this long, even the warmth of his father's forehead still lingered on his skin.

Naruto was staring at his father as Minato opened his eyes, which were the exact same blue as his sons. The gaze that peered at him was paralyzing. It's power, even in the throes of a fever, sent shivers down his spine. The hardened glare of a capable ninja.

"Who are you?" Naruto heard Minato whisper in a tired voice.

His hand came up to his mouth and he cleared his throat before finding the voice to answer.

"My name is Naruto…Uzumaki Naruto." Naruto watched as his father's eyes, if it were possible, get a bit more troubled.

Minato had to process that for a second. A member of the Uzumaki clan, the same as his wife. Unusual, indeed. And with that facial similarity there was no mistaking it. Just add red hair and this man would be the image of his wife.

Man, Minato was glad that Kushina wasn't here to read his thoughts right now. He didn't think she'd appreciate that thought. "Are you familiar with a Uzumaki Kushina?" Minato inquired, intently studying the man, though his fever was taking a tool on him, causing his thoughts to whirl around his head.

The man in front of Minato shifted uneasily, his eyes seeming to deepen with remorse as he averted his eyes.

"Yes." Was Naruto's simple answer.

His reaction caught Minato off guard. "What is your relation to her? I am her husband, Namikaze Minato, and I am on a mission from Konoha that I have yet to complete. May I ask…what… " Minato's words drifted off as his exhaustion caught up to him. Eyelids drooping once again, Minato was swept off into a sea of blackness.

Darting forward, Naruto quickly checked to make sure Minato indeed has just fallen back asleep. There was no chance in hell he would ever let his father be taken from him again. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, and after he had tucked Minato into his small bed and made sure the man would be comfortable, Naruto had stood up and was now pacing in the kitchen. This scenario didn't make any sense. If this was real, which he still wasn't sure if it was, how did the father who had sacrificed himself to save Konoha wind up miraculously appearing unconscious in the streets of Konoha on a rainy day? Unless everything that he had been told was a lie, which he didn't think he had been, the only solution was to wait for Minato to recover in order to find out what was going on. Which might be awhile because the man was as weak as a babe. Which was one of the most surprising things since he had heard stories of how strong his father had been.

As the logical side of his brain was working in overtime, simultaneously, the emotional side spluttered in the back with joy. Just the sight of his presumed dead father was enough to make him so happy he could hardly contain it. But hearing him say his son's name, touching his forehead, made his inner kid glow with happiness. It had been awhile since he'd actually been this enthusiastic. His signature smile couldn't be wiped from his face.

"Man, if this is a dream, I really hope it lasts awhile longer." Naruto said as he readied some cool towels and soup to help gain his father's strength back. Preparing it only took a few minutes, and, placing a towel on the man's heated forehead, Naruto went out to see for sure if he was really in his dreams. Minato was so exhausted Naruto had some time before he knew the man would be up and talking again. He'd be back before that. Plus, he had to make sure, cause if it wasn't true, and his father was just a figment of his overworked imagination, he should probably seek some serious counseling.

Recently, he felt like he was just a dog for Konoha. It was mission after mission, the other villages of course trifling with some matter of this village, feuding over some stupid thing, and the sort. So they sent Naruto Uzumaki to help calm them down. He didn't mind so much helping anyone he could, but he just wanted to have some time to relax in his own village every now and then. He shook his head, he was a ninja and his duty was to his heart and village. Now wasn't the time to complain.

No matter what, even when he was dreaming, he went to Ichiraku. There, he would eat more ramen than humanly possible and not have to pay a single cent, his memorable smile and demeanor winning over the old man and they'd part their separate ways waving goodbye to each other. So, with a spring in his step, Naruto made his way over to the ramen stand.

Warmth spread through his at the familiar welcome from the old man. "Naruto! Good to see you, business was just getting a bit slow."

Greeting Teuchi back, and taking his usual seat, Naruto nodded and didn't say a word as he readied his chop sticks.

* * *

More bowls of ramen then humanly possible to eat later, Naruto was broke and sprinting towards his apartment.

Dodging and weaving through the villagers, it was like he was a kid all over again. But instead of a kid overjoyed at the thought of making trouble for the mean people, it was a kid overjoyed at the thought of actually getting to meet his father in the skin. What should he say to him? Minato hadn't recognized him and still believed Kushina was alive, so could that mean he was stuck in the past somehow? All the questions swirled in his head like the rush of a waterfall. Wait till Kakashi and everyone found out! The flash of the leaf, their hokage, alive and well!

" _Slow down, kit."_

As the raspy voice growled inside his head, Naruto slowed and barely missed knocking down an old lady that had appeared out of nowhere. "Woo, Kurama, you saved me again."

" _You should be able to avoid those situations on your own. What are you, five? Just because Minato has returned doesn't make you a toddler again."_ Kurama sighed inside Naruto. " _And I don't know if his return is anything to be that excited about."_

Naruto sighed in return. "What do you mean! He was the Fourth Hokage, the heart of the village, and him being alive means that we have one of the most powerful ninja and leader back home."

" _Yes kit, but I watched him die with my own eyes. I'm the one who killed him, remember? I watched as his lifeblood leaked and his eyes die. There is no way he could have survived. And even before that, that jutsu he used to seal half of me inside you was going to kill him."_

"How is he here then, Fox? How is he alive and in my bed?" Naruto, heart hurting at the remembering of his father's death and how he had sacrificed himself for his son, retorted back.

" _I have a notion that it involves something that goes back more than a few hundred years. But I want to hear Minato's side of the story first, Kit. Then I can make assumptions. You should get back to him anyway. There's no telling what would happen should be awaken and wander the village."_

Kurama was right. So, breaking into a jog, Naruto made his way back to his apartment.


	3. The Scarecrow

Once again, Minato woke up. It took him a few seconds to try and remember where he was, and when he did it irritated him that he still didn't exactly know where in fact that is. Alls he knew was that he was inside a little apartment that had seen better days. The walls were aged and the floor cracked in certain places, and the tenant that lived inside obviously didn't care as much as he should because his items were scattered here and there.

The only actual belonging that seemed to be taken care of was a picture that was free of the dust that had settled everywhere else. Looking, he saw what was obviously a picture of a jounin and his team, one of the boys being most likely the man who he had spoken to briefly before his fatigue had taken him. The other two children were ones he didn't recognize, but the jounin had a rather familiar face… that mask and spiky silver hair… it reminded him of an older version of his little rule loving Kakashi. His student wasn't the type, he'd thought, who'd ever be in charge of a young team of genin. By choice rather than ability.

But that wasn't his little rule loving Kakashi. It was a man probably as old as Minato. But if that was actually Kakashi in the picture, then Minato had two separate ideas in his head about where he was. First, it was that he was under one of the greatest Genjutsu he had ever encountered. Second, he had time-traveled into the future. Chuckling to himself at that ridiculous idea, Minato went through every technique he knew to dispel Genjutsu. And when he ran out he tried again. Sighing at his third try, he knew when enough was enough and wasting energy would get him nowhere faster. If it wasn't a Genjutsu, then what could possibly explain the older Kakashi the man who was there… he could maybe be a relative? Other than something impossible? Either way, he was thoroughly screwed. If it had something to do with his last mission, how was he supposed to get back?

His thoughts were interrupted at the sound of snoring coming from the ground next to him. Praising the gods that his strength had returned enough in order for him to sit up and look down, he was surprised when he saw his host sprawled across the floor, shirt hiked up his belly and drool inching from the corner of his mouth. What kind of ninja was this man? Minato mused silently.

Remembering their short conversation, Minato knew the man's name was Uzumaki Naruto. (Well, judging by his relaxed sleeping features, the man was probably just a boy by Minato's standards. Most likely eighteen to nineteen.) Naruto was an unusual name… Minato had only knew of it as the main character in Jiraiya's novel. Another connection to him. He had an inkling about this man, one that was sheer insanity but just the thought warmed his heart like no other. It was only that that kept him in the bed. Usually he wouldn't stick around when he woke up in a strange place, but his instincts told him that he was in no harm. And they had never failed him before. He was caught off guard though when the boy suddenly frowned.

Naruto dreamt of his youth this time. In this particular dream, as usual, he was running through Konoha. Sprinting, actually, trying to get away from the stares of the tall monsters with hard eyes and mean words. He couldn't take it today. The unfairness, harshness, directed at a boy no more than six. He ran and ran, his short legs taking him through the never ending maze, chasing the vague outline of a female and a man, each holding the hand of a child between them. Each step he took they seemed to take twenty. He yelled, begged them to look over their shoulders and notice him.

But his pleas were ignored.

The monsters slowly creeped closer and closer to him, their pointy teeth promising to tear him to shreds, their words echoing through his mind, 'it's your fault', 'evil little boy', 'how dare you show your face', and lastly, 'Monster!'.

He didn't understand! They were the monsters! They were! Tears ran down his chubby face as he tripped over his feet and curled into a ball. But they kept yelling. 'Monster!', a lady ran up to him, her eyes red and boot connecting with his ribs 'You killed my husband!'

"NO I DIDN'T!" Naruto yelled, breaking away from his dream as he bolted upright. Sweat dripped from his brow and he shuddered. Guess he'd never get a respite from the past. It didn't help either when the entire thing was condensed into one moment. Getting to his feet, he stretched shakily and froze when he suddenly remembered he wasn't alone. Turning quickly, he looked towards the bed and the pair of eyes silently staring at him. Turning red, he put his arms up behind his head and smiled embarrassedly.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed your rest, Namikaze-san." Naruto said hurriedly. He really wished he hadn't shown that side of him to his father before they had actually gotten to know one another. What did the man think of him now? His of age son still having nightmares?

Sighing dejectedly, Naruto's thoughts churned until he remembered the ramen he had made for his father for when he woke up. "I'll be right back." Slightly bowing, he turned.

Minato watched as Naruto walked into the kitchen. The boy obviously had some inner demons. The life of a ninja often a harsh, often emotionally destructive one, but the age of the boy told him that maybe Naruto's had been a bit more relentless. That was always a depressing thought. It must have not been a time of peace then, wherever he was.

" _Well, you put on quite a show there kit."_ Naruto heard as he whipped through his kitchen and grabbed what he needed to get his father food.

"Yah, well, Kurama, you could have at least awakened me before I started talking out loud, ya know. He's going to think I have issues now."

" _Well, brat, that show there kinda means you do, now doesn't it? Just hurry back and get the information I need out of the man. Try to avoid being too emotional."_ At Kurama's dark chuckle, Naruto rolled his eyes and made sure the fox knew exactly what he did.

"Yah, yah. I'm going. Don't rush me. And it's my father back from the dead I think I can be as emotional as I want. Humph." Kurama just chuckled again and then was silent. If Naruto tried, though, he knew he could see the vague outline of the fox's eyes, open and alert for his meeting with Minato.

Naruto walked back in a minute later, carrying with him a steaming bowl of something that smelled heavenly. Minato's stomach growled loudly, reminding him of just how hungry he was.

"Ramen's about all that I know how to make, so I hope you like it." Naruto said, handing the bowl to Minato. "I made a lot, so eat as much as you like. You've been sleeping for a couple days now."

Taking the bowl, Minato wasn't surprised. Actually, at the level of exhaustion he had been, he was just glad he hadn't been out for a couple weeks. Or, let's be serious, dead. Taking a couple bites, Minato tried to take his time, but in the end he had consumed all of what Naruto had made in a matter of ten minutes.

Afterwards, Minato waited for Naruto to sit in an old chair before starting. "So, where am I?"

"Konoha." Naruto said. "This is my apartment."

"How did I get here exactly?"

"Three days ago, I was walking and found you laying on the street in the middle of a thunderstorm." Naruto's foot tapped on the ground nervously. "I was kinda surprised, to say the least."

Naruto was avoiding the huge white elephant in the room and he knew it. He couldn't just come out and blurt you're my father to a man who just woke up and had no idea what was going on.

Minato raised his blonde eyebrows. "Surprised? Well, I guess anyone would be surprised to find a ninja laying in the middle of the street."

Naruto's arm flew up to cross behind his head. "Well, Namikaze-san, it's not just that."

Watching as Minato tilted his head in puzzlement, Naruto's eyes averted his gaze as he went on,

"I had thought you were dead."

That shocked Minato. "Dead? What do you mean?" He was pretty sure that blast of blue light hadn't killed him. After all, he was awake now, wasn't he?

Minato thought he was crazy. Naruto got that fact as he glanced at Minato and saw the man looking incredulously at him.

"It was a little over eighteen years ago. The Yondaime sacrificed his life in order to save Konohagakure from destruction by the nine tail fox."

Minato held up his hand. "The Yondaime Hokage hasn't even been appointed. Sandaime Hokage is still alive and young. What you're saying is not logical nor…"

Trailing off, Minato's mind snapped the pieces of the puzzle he had been putting together jarringly.

"Wait…" Looking at Naruto with wide eyes, Minato's hand lowered and slumped on the bed as he realized. "So… what you're saying is I really have time-traveled?"

"Yes. At least, in this world you have been considered dead for almost two decades."

"Dead? But wait, what does the Yondaime's death have to do with me? Does that mean… I had been selected to be the fourth Hokage?"

At Naruto's nod, Minato was completely in a daze...he had accomplished becoming the Hokage…his dream… and the only thing he wished was that he could tell Kushina. But the Kushina he knew was in another time period. Probably worried sick about him. He did have a thought though..."What about Kushina? Where can I find her in this time? Is she okay? How is she doing?"

The same look that had appeared on Naruto's face in their first conversation appeared. "I'm so sorry to say this… but she died on the same day as you. The same way as you."

Minato's heart sunk like a rock. That couldn't be. "So, what you're saying is that I managed to become hokage, but at the same time I let myself, the leader of my village, and my wife die?"

Hearing the broken tone in Minato's voice, Naruto looked him straight in the eye. "Yes. You sacrificed yourself to seal the nine tailed fox inside a newborn babe. That newborn babe being the boy your wife had just given birth too. It had been a complicated birth, and you had protested greatly, but you know you couldn't stop Mom. It was the two of you who threw your bodies in front of the babe in order to save his life. It was your only option, which saved both the village and your son. And you are considered a savior to this day."

Minato put his head in his hands and tried to comprehend everything he had been told. He had been the Hokage… Kushina and him had had a son… and the both of them were currently dead because of his choice to imprison the fox inside that son… but wait… what had he just heard?

"Mom?" His head darting up, Minato almost felt electrified staring once again into those arctic blue eyes with a new light. Taking in the boy again, it had been there for him to see. Plain as day. Everything he had noticed… the boy's last name… and his given name… his features… everything. He should have know the second he had laid eyes on him.

"You're my son?" Minato said, a strange light in his eyes.

Naruto didn't know what to say. Usually he was the one who filled silences, but as Minato's question reverberated through his mind, he had know idea how to react. He'd spent his entire life keeping the emotions about his parents bottled up, repressed so far down that even he had trouble dredging them up. When he did though, he made sure to avert his face as tears threatened to silently track their way down his whiskered cheeks without his permission.

"Yes, Namikaze-san." Was all he could choke up as memories began to assault him.

Frowning at the formal address, Minato was about to comment when a knock sounded in the direction of where the apartment's door most likely was. It was with a kind of horrible fascination he watched the change that overcame Naruto's features. The emotional boy completely shut down, becoming a man, face clearing and eyes hardening as the look of a tired, destructive ninja fell onto him. Minato sighed because he had only seen that among the most worn of the elite. His son had really been put through that much so young?

Naruto stood up swiftly and gazed at his father once again, this time with steel in his eyes. "Please hide your presence for now. I don't believe your arrival should be made public just yet, Namikaze-san."

Nodding, Minato did what he had to and watched silently as Naruto strided through the kitchen and disappeared. He wondered intently who it could be to have made the boy this intense.

Naruto had sensed who the person was and right now he wasn't sure how exactly Kakashi would react to seeing his old sensei back. So until Minato and him figured out a solid game plan, Naruto wanted to keep this their secret. He just hoped his past with Kakashi wouldn't interfere with anything along the way…

As Kakashi stood outside Naruto's door waiting for the boy to answer, he wondered what he was doing here. The man was so preoccupied with missions in recent months that Kakashi hadn't really seen him but in quick passing every now and then. After he had heard from some fellow ninja how Naruto had request leave from duty for the past several days, though, he had worried about his former student being cooped up, alone, in his tiny apartment. Kakashi remembered the days when Naruto had been all wide, innocent smiles and boundless energy. Those days were now just a far off memory, for Naruto had quickly gotten used to the rigorous life of a capable ninja. Not everyone was at Naruto's caliber, almost no one, actually, so of course he was put on the most vigorous of missions. And how could he decline when his love for his village and his hope to one day become hokage was present in the background?

Kakashi just silently wished he had kept some of his old quirkiness. It was rather cute when the man had a quick relapse and his signature smile touched his lips and seemed to light up the world around him. Not many people in general could accomplish that, either.

It didn't take long for the man himself to open the door to his apartment, and Kakashi's eye picked up something that caught him off guard. There was a certain light in the man's azure eyes that Kakashi had not seen in what had felt like forever. They were lit up brighter than the sky on a hot, clear summer day and Kakashi was glad and shocked at the same time.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" He said quickly, hand going up and gently feeling his forehead for any unnecessary heat.

Naruto felt his cheeks brighten as he pawed Kakashi away. "Of course I'm fine. What's up? I haven't seen ya in awhile Kakashi." Naruto was glad to see the man, but with what was going on, he also would be glad to see him walking in the other direction at the moment.

"Same old, same old. Re-reading some Icha-Icha, and what not." Kakashi watched as Naruto's eye twitched. "Oh please, like you haven't read them before, little Naruto."

Kakashi smirked as that got Naruto to step forward and point his finger at him. "Of course I haven't! I'm not a pervert, unlike you, Kakashi!"

Kakashi took advantage of Naruto now being within teach to furrow the man's hair and bend down to whisper in his ear. "What do you mean, Naruto? Am I really the only pervert here?"


	4. The Flashback

"Kakashi!" Naruto exclaimed hotly as he backed away quickly from the man. Trying to regain his composure, but miserably failing as he felt his face flare."I'm not in the mood for this! Don't you have something better to do with your time?" And, slamming the door in Kakashi's masked face, Naruto stormed back into his apartment. He wanted to punch that annoying smirk off of the man he had saw right as the door shut. Just one shot. But then again, maybe not. Kakashi would probably make that something inappropriate too, was Naruto's bet.

Just one moment of weakness it had been. Just one! How Naruto regretted it. It wasn't his fault he'd been on mission after mission and needed a little human connection. I mean, he hadn't really expected to have found it in the arms of the man that had been his sensei for years, but hey, it had been one of his all time lows.

Kakashi was taking it as if they had done more than hug though! It wasn't Naruto's fault Kakashi had found him one night wandering about the village in a daze, questioning himself and still woozy from the pain medication he had been on from one of his more gorey missions. With the fox's metabolism, of course he had to take an obscene amount for it to even have an effect on him.

It was just a bad situation in general. And Naruto wished Kakashi would have acted like it didn't happen like any other person would. But no. Of course not. And even though Naruto had more going on in his apartment that night then he could even handle, he began to reminisce about that time.

flashback:

The sky had been completely clear that night, the moon big and round and coloring his village in a dim, pale light. Naruto had just rounded another corner to another road to wherever he was going. He had no clue now he'd been walking for so long. After awhile he'd gotten bored looking at the same old building and looked up. His eyes widened as he was mesmerized by the amount of stars that adorned the sky. Stumbling and swaying, that time was cut short, though, when he barely felt his foot connect with something hard and suddenly fell flat in the dirt. He hadn't cared much at the time, though, turning himself over and crossing his arms behind his head, just continuing to stare up into the luminous night sky. Recently, he had thought more and more how his life had ended up where it had. Yes, he had progressed, and was a strong ninja, but all the values he had had when he was younger seemed irrelevant now. His friends were all living their lives, carrying out missions just like him. Sasuke was in Anbu, by now Naruto was sure one of the higher up nin. Sakura was busy at the hospital and dealing with Tsunade. As a kid he hadn't really realized just what impact life would have on him throughout time. He didn't even really know when the last time he had yelled at someone about his way of the ninja. That's all he used to do ya know…

At this point in his life he was completely alone. Wandering through and gazing about at other peoples relationships and lives and trying to figure out what was so wrong with his.

Any somber thoughts after that had been cut off, though, as a head of gray hair and amused eye suddenly appeared in his line of sight.

"Hey there." Kakashi had said, leaning over Naruto and blocking his view of the stars.

"Outta the way, Kakashi." Naruto grumbled, waving one of his hands to shoo the man out of his way.

Alls Naruto wanted to do was watch the pretty stars. He never had time to just laze around! What he hadn't expected, though, was the man to grab the hand that was shooing him and pull him haphazardly to his feet.

"Hey! I was comfy."

"Yah, kid, well how about I take you home. I'd feel kinda bad just walking by and leaving you lying in the streets like some drunkard, now wouldn't I?"

Naruto sighed and scratched his head. "I was heading home. Just taking a little break is all."

"Mmkay, Naruto. Come on." Kakashi said, wiggling his finger in the direction to Naruto's apartment. At least Naruto thought that was the way. He hadn't really looked around to see where he had ended up.

Rolling his eyes dramatically, Naruto followed behind Kakashi at a much slower pace. After a couple minutes of that, Kakashi looked back with a sigh. Backtracking, he grabbed Naruto's sleeve and lead him at a decent pace. They had only been walking a few seconds, though, when Naruto's feet seemed to protest once again at walking and took him down once more. This time though, when he fell forward he grabbed hold of the jacket of the man in front of him, and only the sharpness of Kakashi's reflexes kept them both from hitting the ground. Instead, Kakashi had turned quickly and now held Naruto, who was flat against the man's hard chest.

Naruto felt the warmth that radiated from Kakashi, and being so close to the man seemed as if that warmth took him in and comforted his icy heart. In his daze, Naruto didn't think twice about his actions, so his arms snuck around Kakashi's back and he burrowed his face into the man's neck.

"Naruto?" Kakashi was frozen in place as the man seemed to meld to him in the matter of seconds. He felt his breath hitch as the man snuggled closer to Kakashi's neck and felt the warm breath of the man through the material of his jacket.

"This is so nice." Kakashi heard Naruto murmur. "How can anyone be this warm… when they're all so cold to me… too bad this is a dream… I'm just gonna wake up and… be alone…". After that Kakashi felt Naruto's body relax and he knew the man had passed out.

Carrying Naruto quickly to his apartment, Kakashi was thoroughly confused as he fished the keys out of the blondes pocket and opened the door. Placing the man on his bed, Kakashi covered him and looked silently at the blondes sleeping face, looking troubled even in rest. How the man had changed from when he was a child. The young vibrant Naruto that Kakashi had known had slowly been replaced with the jaded man before him. And it was tragic. He'd never have thought that that vitality could have ever been drained. But he guessed the life of a useful ninja was something that could easily be overused by a village.

He'd known Naruto had been away a lot on missions. As his student had gotten older, and honed his skills, he become quite extraordinary. So Kakashi had seen his face less and less. And he knew that the life of a ninja such as Naruto was now living is something that drained you, that took a part of you and slowly brought it to it's knees. Kakashi knew that the part of Naruto that had slowly been taken was that positivity. At one point, Kakashi thought nothing or no one could take that from the man, but he guessed it could be. That was a horrible thought. Though, Kakashi had a feeling he'd be thinking about the man more often.

Of course he'd wondered about Naruto at times, but definitely not more than he knew he'd wonder now. That meeting had frazzled him. Not only had he not expected to find Naruto casually laying in the street, drunk it had seemed, but he had never expected the man to have hugged him like Kakashi had been the only one he'd ever shared warmth with before. That struck Kakashi's heart in a way he hadn't felt in a long while. It made him think of Naruto's past and the way his own sensei would think of him that he let it happen.

Kakashi couldn't bear to long at Naruto when he was younger, but because of a different fact then the villagers. In Naruto's face and features was Minato, someone Kakashi had tried his hardest to forget. He had loved Minato, as a sensei at first, but later as something more. But he knew that love could never be returned, as Kushina was the one and only who had earned his heart. And Kakashi had been fine with that. So his love for Minato had been the silent kind. Taking form in the way he had protected the people Minato had loved, the way he fought for his village and backed his reign as Hokage. So when Minato had given his life…and Kakashi failed in protecting the both of them… he lost again a loved one and spiraled downward once more. It was even harder than losing Obito and Rin…

Kakashi shook his head and just managed to dodge around a pole he had been heading straight for. Man, he was acting like Naruto had been. That pain he had mostly put behind him but that contact had sparked something Kakashi never had thought he could feel toward another human again… and that was tragic. Because once he ever lets his barriers down, he knows something bad will happen.

end flashback

Naruto didn't even know how to feel about anything! Much less be teased about it by a man he knew didn't take those kinds of things seriously. Kakashi has such bad timing, dredging up these feeling right when he just found his dad. Naruto was all sorts of an emotional wreck and he wasn't sure just how he was still keeping it together. Walking back through his apartment, he found his father back on the bed, sitting to the side of it and looking at him with an amused expression.

"So Kakashi finally has a sense of humor." Minato said, and Naruto's head snapped in his direction just as his face once again began to redden.

"Did you hear everything?" He said with a drop of dread in his voice. He really hoped Minato hadn't heard that last thing Kakashi had said. That would be a great start to their relationship. That he'd made Kakashi somehow like him in THAT way.

Minato's eyes tracked Naruto's every move, catching the twitch and tone, and inside, even though his situation, he felt amusement at his confused son for the first time. He had heard everything, I mean, in this small of an apartment of course his hearing could pick up mostly any type of spoken conversation. But he knew his boy wouldn't feel great about that.

"Not everything, no. Mainly the beginning and the last thing you shouted a bit." He knew he'd made the right decision when the boy's shoulders relaxed and his face turned a semi normal shade once again. That was interesting… his student and his son… he wondered exactly what had happened and what had Naruto so worked up. It looked like his son needed some attention in a way that wasn't being briefed for a mission.

Not like Minato actually knew, though. He felt like there was a lot of information that he had to retrieve before he could make any valid assumptions. It was just a feeling, though. That Naruto was not dealing well with something. The look in his eye made Minato sad.

Naruto squirmed a bit under those scrutinizing blue eyes. It seemed like Minato was thinking about him and he wondered if they were judging him. It felt as if a weight were lifted off his chest when the man averted his gaze and looked at the photo on his night stand once again.

"So Kakashi was indeed your sensei. How was he as one? I had never depicted him having a team of his own. Figured he'd work his way all the way up in Anbu and stick with it."

Naruto thought for a second and Minato was surprised at the little smile that played on Naruto's lips when he spoke.

"Well, he wasn't like the other sensei's, that's for sure. Before my team, he had never passed a single one. There was this exercise he did with teamwork and about getting bells from him. He said only two could pass and the other was going back to the academy for sure. So we all ended up failing and I ended up tied to a pole. Well, the one condition was that I couldn't eat, but we ended up not listening to him and ended up passing."

Minato was surprised at that. So Kakashi had used the test Minato used on his team. He felt sad that he couldn't of heard this from Naruto years ago when it actually had happened. He could just imagine his boy a child, running up to him with a ginormous smile and laughing as Minato patted his head in pride. But he had given his son the chance to become the ninja he is now by giving his life. So he would not regret his decision.

That didn't mean he couldn't yearn, though… for those years back and his wife alive…

As Naruto had spoke, Minato also saw a spark in his eyes that hadn't been there when he had first met his son. Like a candle that had suddenly been relit. He wondered just exactly what the Naruto of those times had been like and if he'd get the opportunity to get to see that side of him.

A/N: So this is how it is. Kakashi once loved Minato but it had been a complete one-sided love Minato didn't know about. That's why he hadn't been able to raise Naruto, knowing that he had failed in protecting Minato and Kushina from there deaths. But it's going to be hard seeing Kakashi let down his barriers once again, as all the people he's loved have died. Eventually, Minato will support the two because he's awesome. So Kakanaru with Minatos support. Thanks for reading and review if you have the time. :) I'd like to hear your thoughts.


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